Wanted: Bodyguard

by Carla Cassidy

  Lana placed Haley in her booster chair and gave her a couple of crackers to hold her until the pizza arrived. With both Rachel and Riley gone, she sank down in the chair next to Haley and smiled at her daughter. “What a tangled web we weave,” she said softly.

  “What?” Haley asked.

  Lana smiled. “Never mind.”

  And this was just the beginning. On Friday night she would be deceiving all her neighbors and, more important, hopefully Greg Cary.

  She got up from the chair and pulled from the refrigerator all the items she needed to make a salad. She was in the process of cutting up a green pepper when Rachel flew back into the kitchen.

  Rachel walked over to her and grabbed her by the shoulders, her eyes wide. “There’s all kinds of camera equipment in the closet. Please tell me that Riley isn’t making tapes of, you know, the two of you together…like sex tapes.”

  Lana stared at her sister and then dissolved into laughter. “No!” she exclaimed. “Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. Oh my God, Rachel, what are you thinking?”

  “The worst.” Rachel slumped into a chair. “I saw that stuff and suddenly had a vision of you and your new beau splashed across the Internet in all your naked glory.”

  Lana giggled again and then realized she needed to come up with a reasonable explanation for the camera equipment. “Actually, Riley is kind of an amateur videographer. He occasionally works weddings and things like that.”

  Rachel released a sigh of relief as Lana returned to chopping the pepper. “You hear about this stuff all the time, men talking women into making a sex tape and suddenly the tape is on one of those Internet sites for people to download.”

  “First of all, no man could ever talk me into doing something so stupid, and second of all, Riley isn’t that kind of man,” Lana said firmly.

  “Aunt Rachel is funny,” Haley exclaimed.

  Rachel smiled and shook her head. “You’re a lucky woman, Lana. I didn’t think you’d ever find a man as handsome, as charming as Joe, but it looks like you’ve done just that. And Riley makes you happy?”

  Lana moved from the pepper to a tomato. “Of course. If he didn’t make me happy then he wouldn’t be here with me.” Once again she felt the burning desire to spill the truth to her sister. She could trust Rachel not to say anything to another soul. But even as she considered it, the agents’ warnings went through her mind and she reluctantly dismissed the idea.

  “I can’t believe that in all our conversations you never mentioned anything about him. You have always been good at keeping secrets.”

  “What are you talking about?” Lana asked.

  “You didn’t tell me you were pregnant with Haley until you were almost six months along. And now I find out you dated Riley and married him without even mentioning his name to me.”

  “I just wanted to make sure it was right before I told you about him,” Lana replied.

  The conversation turned to Rachel’s latest travels, and by that time Riley had arrived with the pizzas and they all ate dinner.

  After dinner Riley made coffee and they carried it into the living room and continued visiting. But with each passing moment Lana felt a tension building in her stomach as she anticipated bedtime.

  She was going to have to sleep in the same bed with Riley. It was going to be awkward, but there was no way to avoid it. Rachel would definitely think it odd if Riley bunked out here on the sofa.

  Lana put Haley to bed at eight, and after that each tick of the clock brought her closer to sleeping with a man she insisted she didn’t much like, but who smelled so good and looked so hot.

  It was ten o’clock when Rachel got up and said she was calling it a night. “Yeah, I’m ready to turn in, too,” Riley said with a wicked grin at Lana. “I still feel like we’re newlyweds.”

  “Isn’t he cute,” Rachel exclaimed.

  “He’s a real piece of work,” Lana replied wryly.

  As Rachel disappeared into her room and closed the door, Lana went into the bathroom and tried to figure out what made her more anxious, the thought that a serial killer lived next door or the idea of crawl ing into bed with Riley Kincaid.

  She dressed for the night in a huge oversized T-shirt that hung on her curves and fell almost to her knees. She definitely wasn’t going to wear one of the nightgowns that always made her feel sexy.

  She went into the bedroom where Riley was seated on the foot of the bed, taking off his shoes and socks.

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” she said softly as she moved to the left side of the bed where the alarm clock, a reading lamp and the paperback novel she was reading sat on the nightstand.

  “Don’t worry, I don’t take up too much room,” he said, and grinned. He stood and pulled his T-shirt over his head and she tried not to notice his splendid, muscled chest. What she did notice was the puckered skin and red angry scar on his right shoulder.

  “What happened?”

  “I got shot a little over three months ago,” he re plied. “That’s why I got stuck on this surveillance duty. According to the doctors I’m not one hundred percent yet.”

  He looked a hundred percent to her. In fact he looked far more than a hundred percent. “Is it true that your parents live in Arizona?” she asked.

  “No. My dad left us when I was eight and my mother died when I was fifteen. I went into the foster-care system until I was eighteen.”

  “I’m sorry,” she replied.

  He shrugged. “It was a long time ago. You said it before. Bad stuff happens and you really have no choice but to get over it.”

  As his hands moved to the snap of his jeans, she quickly pulled down the sheets on the bed and crawled in.

  She faced the wall and squeezed her eyes tightly closed, willing herself not to imagine what he looked like without all his clothes. But her mind exploded with an unwanted mental vision.

  He turned off the overhead light, plunging the room into darkness. She felt the bed depress beneath his weight and every muscle in her body tightened. “You aren’t naked, are you?” she asked.

  “As a jaybird,” he replied and then laughed. “Actually, although I usually sleep in the buff I am wearing a pair of briefs right now in deference to you.”

  “Could you maybe put on a snowsuit in deference to me?”

  He laughed again, the sound a deep pleasant rumble. “Thank God you have a sense of humor, otherwise this whole mess would be intolerable.”

  It felt pretty intolerable to her right now. She could feel the heat of his body, smelled that delicious scent of him, and a coil of warmth unfurled in the pit of her stomach. She recognized it for what it was—desire—and it stunned her.

  She clung to the edge of the mattress and prayed that sleep would come quickly.

  Riley awoke spooned around Lana’s back, his arm slung across her slender waist. She was still asleep, and for several long, pleasant moments he didn’t move. Her hair smelled like apples, and she was warm as toast against him.

  It was odd for him to awaken with a woman in his arms. He rarely spent the night with anyone and he never let anyone spend the night with him. He preferred to avoid the awkward mornings after whenever possible.

  Going to sleep had been equally awkward the night before. Lana had claimed the very edge of the bed and her tension had filled the room. He had been disappointed that she’d traded her sexy nightgown for an oversize nightshirt, although he’d noticed her shapely legs beneath the nightwear.

  Eventually she’d fallen asleep, but he’d remained awake long into the night, wondering if this whole operation was doomed to failure.

  The murder timeline indicated that Greg was due for another kill in the next week. They had a couple of agents working out at the gym where Greg worked, hoping to see if he paid special attention to anyone, had any of the women there in his sights.

  For the last couple of days, though, Greg had seemed to be on his best behavior. He went to work and then came home and didn’t leave his house ag
ain. There had been no visitors to his residence. They had tapped his landline but suspected he was using toss-away pre-paid cell phones for any conversations he might be having with his partner in crime.

  Lana stirred but didn’t awaken, and Riley rolled away from her. He knew if she did wake up and found herself cuddled intimately in his arms she would be appalled.

  So far she’d been a pretty good sport about things. He didn’t want to make it even more difficult for her. He slid from the bed, grabbed his jeans and pulled them on, then snapped on some clean clothes and headed for the bathroom.

  As he stood beneath the hot spray of water he was surprised to realize that he liked Lana Tyler. She was uncomplicated and didn’t hesitate to speak her mind.

  She was a refreshing change for him.

  Before he’d fallen asleep last night he’d felt some thing else for Lana—a faint stir of desire. It had whispered through him and it had only been by sheer willpower alone that he’d tamped it down.

  When he walked into the kitchen minutes later he was surprised to see Rachel already dressed and seated at the table, her suitcase on the floor next to her.

  “Good morning,” he said, glad to see that she’d made a pot of coffee. “I hope you slept well.”

  “Like a baby,” she replied. “I have a taxi coming to pick me up.”

  Riley eyed her in surprise. “Is something wrong? I thought you had planned to stay for a couple of days.”

  “I had, and no, nothing is wrong. I got a call from my husband this morning. His business meetings were canceled and he’s made arrangements for us to travel to China. This morning I’m flying to New York to meet up with him.”

  Riley couldn’t help the wave of relief that flooded him. He could set the cameras up and move back into the guest room. “Lana will be disappointed that you couldn’t at least stay for our little celebration tomorrow night.”

  “I’m disappointed, too. But it’s nice to know I’m leaving Lana and Haley in good hands.” She smiled at Riley, and he felt a stab of guilt at the lies he’d told the woman.

  He reminded himself again that the end justified the means and that the ultimate goal was to put away a dangerous man.

  At that moment Lana came into the kitchen and a horn sounded from outside. Hasty goodbyes were exchanged, and then Riley carried Rachel’s suitcase out to the awaiting cab.

  Lana stood in the doorway and waved at her sister, then Rachel grabbed Riley and hugged him. “Take care of them, Riley. They’ve already had so much heartbreak in their lives.” She released him, then slid into the backseat of the taxi and waved as the driver pulled away.

  As he walked back to the door Rachel’s words thundered in his head. He didn’t want to feel responsible for Lana and her daughter. He just wanted to get this job done and move on. Moving on was what he’d always done best.

  “That’s a relief,” Lana said as he came back into the house. “I love my sister, but this wasn’t the best time for a surprise visit.”

  “You did really well. I know it was difficult for you to lie to her.” He moved closer to Lana. She looked so pretty clad in a pair of navy shorts and a white-and-navy tank top. Her hair sparkled with gold highlights, and he remembered how it had smelled faintly of apples.

  “You are a consummate liar,” she said with a smile. “So smooth and effortless.”

  “It’s just part of the job,” he replied.

  “I’m sure it’s a gift that has come in handy in your personal life, too.”

  He cocked his head and looked at her curiously. “Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”

  A faint blush swept into her cheeks. “Of course not,” she replied.

  “I don’t lie in my real life.” He wasn’t sure why, but it was suddenly important to him that she understood that. “It’s much better to be honest and let people know where you’re coming from.”

  He wanted to kiss her. The desire came out of nowhere and slammed into his stomach. Maybe it was because his senses were still filled with the way she’d felt in his arms or the way the clean, sweet scent of her had filled his head. Or maybe it was because she just looked so damned kissable.

  “I enjoyed sleeping with you last night,” he said as he took another step closer to her. “It was kind of nice how you wanted to cuddle.”

  Her eyes widened and her lower lip trembled slightly. “You’re lying now.”

  He smiled. “Okay, we didn’t cuddle.”

  “I think maybe you’re the one who is trying to pick a fight,” she said.

  She was right. Maybe he was trying to make her mad so that he wouldn’t want to taste her lips, so he could forget how soft and warm she’d been in his arms.

  “I’m going to get my equipment set up again. It’s time to get back to work.” He said the words more for his own benefit than for hers.

  He wasn’t here to flirt and kiss Lana Tyler. He was here to do a job. And he’d do well to remember that.

  Chapter Four

  The backyard was almost ready for the party, and Lana had never been so nervous in her entire life. There were three married couples coming from the neighborhood, people Lana and Joe had often socialized with before Joe’s murder. And of course there was one suspected serial killer coming as well.

  Haley was down for a late nap, and the house was silent except for the slightly rapid beat of Lana’s heart.

  As she put a cake on a platter she looked out the window where Riley was sweeping off the deck.

  He’d been distant since Rachel had left. He’d spent most of the time in the guest room and had come out only to eat.

  She told herself that was the way it was supposed to be, but a small part of her missed his ridiculous flirting and charming smile.

  He would be at his charming best in an hour, when the guests began to arrive. And it worried her more than just a little bit that she liked his charm.

  “Been there, done that,” she now muttered to her self, and a deep grief stabbed through her as she thought of her dead husband.

  Even though she’d told Riley that she didn’t intend to be alone for the rest of her life, a part of her simply wasn’t ready for the dating scene, for inviting another man into her life. She wanted somebody special. She wanted a father figure for Haley and a man to fill her loneliness. But she intended to be picky. It would take a very special man to fulfill all her desires.

  She tensed as he came in the back door.

  “Nervous?” he asked.

  “You have no idea,” she replied, and was surprised to hear that her voice was slightly shaky.

  He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, and his green eyes held a softness she’d never seen there before.

  For just a moment she wanted to fall into those green depths. She tried never to think about the aching loneliness that sometimes gripped her since Joe’s death, but now with Riley’s hands on her shoulders she realized how hungry she’d been for a gentle, simple touch from a man who had softness in his eyes.

  “You’ll do just fine,” he said. “I’ll stay close to you all evening, and if you get into any trouble I’ll be there to make it right. Don’t worry. Just relax and enjoy the evening.”

  “I appreciate that,” she replied. Maybe it was the anticipation of the night to come that had her feeling half breathless. Or maybe it was because Riley stood so close and his eyes were so green and he smelled like crisp, clean male and that wonderful, slightly spicy cologne.

  His eyes deepened in hue, and she knew in that instant that he was going to kiss her, knew she should step away from him and halt it before it began. But she didn’t. She remained frozen in place, waiting with an eagerness that was stunning.

  His lips touched hers with a simmering fire that quickly spiraled out of control as she opened her mouth to him. Their tongues battled as his hands left her shoulders and instead wrapped around her waist, pulling her intimately against him.

  She raised her arms to link about his neck, loving the taste of
him, the desire she tasted in his kiss. It didn’t matter that he was definitely not the kind of man she wanted in her life. It didn’t make a difference that he was only here temporarily and then would be gone.

  All she cared about was that for this moment he made her feel wonderfully alive and desirable, and she hadn’t felt that way for a very long time.

  He tasted of something hot and wild, of unspoken danger and sin, and she loved it.

  “Mommy. Daddy. Stop kissing and talk to me.”

  Lana jumped back from Riley at the sound of Haley’s voice. The toddler stood in the kitchen doorway, a smile of pride of her face. “I woked up and now I want to go to the party,” she exclaimed.

  “It’s going to be a few minutes before the party starts,” Lana replied. She walked over and scooped up the little girl in her arms, then looked at Riley. “We both know that was definitely a mistake,” she said.

  “Only if you think it was,” he replied. He leaned against the counter. “It didn’t feel like a mistake to me. As long as we both know the score, as long as you understand that as soon as we get what we need on Greg I’m out of here, then it wasn’t a mistake. It was just a moment of pleasant connection.”

  “A mistake,” she repeated.

  He smiled. “As long as we don’t make any mistakes tonight we’ll be fine.”

  “Speaking of tonight, I need to go change my clothes and I need to dress this little pumpkin.”

  “I not a punkin,” Haley announced.

  Riley laughed and the tension between them eased. “You want me to keep an eye on her while you get dressed?”

  Lana looked at him in surprise, touched by the offer. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind? It would definitely make things easier on me.”

  He held out his arms and a happy, giggling Haley went to him. “Come on, kid, let’s go find some toys.” As he carried Haley down the hall to her bedroom, Lana went into her own bedroom to get ready for the evening to come.

  How do you dress for a party where you’re going to lie to all your friends? Lana wondered as she stood in front of her closet.